Method for removing citrus juice cells from inedible portions



. April 30, 1940. R. POLK. sR.. ET AL METHOD FOR REMOVING CITRUS JUICE CELLS FROM INEDIBLEVPORTIONS Filed April 13, 19,38 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

. Jr. and x 1 BY 421/ filk c772 I ATTORNEYS.

April 30, 1940. R. POLK. SR. E'r AL I 9. 5

METHOD FOR REMOVING CITRUS JUICE CELLS FROM INEDIBLE PORTIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet'Z Filed April 15, 1938' INVENTOR.

m 1% Mi h m a n r a Patented Apr. 30, v v I I I p UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- eats Ralph P0115, Sn, Miami, and Ralph Polk, Jr.,.- Ha es City, Fla., assignon to The Polk lie-- vel pment Company, Tampa, Fla... a courtne hip of Florida Application April 1a, 1938, semi No. 201.13: -15. claims. (01. 146-3) The object of our invention is to provide imfrom the integuments substantially whole if 9- proved means and methods by which substancylindrical apron I! be provided to limit the tially whole integument-free segmental juice-cell radial ejection of the segments. groups may be acquired from peeled citrus (and To this end, the holder I3 may, therefore, be

5 other similar) fruits. v mounted so as to be rotatable about the axis of. 5

The accompanying drawings illustrate our in-' the circumferential series of tines l4. vention: We have also found that if, after the peeled 4 Fig. 'l is a perspective view of a tined holder fruit is impaled on the tines J4, rubbing tines l6 upon which a peeled fruit may be conveniently be injected polarwise into some of the juice-cell o impaled for further manipulation, together with up between t r dia i su ts sli tly 10 an associated tined element for segregating -juice- Spaced outwardly from the tines l4, and one or cell groups from segment-integuments; the other of the circumferential series of tines Fig. 2 a cross-section of a pealed fruit and be rotated about the common axis, the juice-cell the devices, shown inFig. 1, in cooperative regroups, S bsta y Whole, will be Separated l5 lationship; from the radial integuments. A single rubbing Fig. 3 a perspective view of a group of one form tine It may be used to some eifect but we have of segmenting tool; 7 1 found that two to eight tines l8, equally spaced, Fig. 4 a cross-section of one of the tools shown are more efllcient. In this operation the natural in Fig. 3; bond between the radial integuments and the Fig. 5 a perspective of a group of tools of anj i e-ce l r ps 18 ruptured by Pl the i l 20 other form; v integuments under tension transversely oftheir Fig. 6 a cross-section of one of the tools shown radial extent and the integuments are slipped or in Fig. 5; dragged free from the juice-cell groups. I Fig. '7 a. perspective view of an annu1ar group. We have also found that if the natural bond of tools of another form; between one side of the juice-cell group and the 25 Fig. 8 a perspective view of a tool of another adjacent radial integument be preliminarily rupform; and I tured (in a manner to be described) before sub- Fig. 9 a perspective view of a modified form of iecting the fruiteither to centrifugal action or throw-in fork. i to the rubbing action of the series of tines I6, In the drawings l0 indicates a peeled whole .a considerably greater number of substantiallya0 fruit, of the type having nature-formed and whole integument-free juice-cell groups may be bonded segments, the circumferential integuobtained.

ment encasing the juice-cell groups having been Various means have been provided for rupturremoved, leaving the radial integuments ll 'uning the natural bond between one side of the disturbed and nature-bonded to each other and juice-cell groups and theradial integuments. 35

to the segmental juice-cell groups l2. In Fig. '8 the thin blade 20 is tapered from The number of juice-cell groups (1. e., fruit point to heel and has a maximum width exceedsections) and consequently the included angle ing the radial dimension of the juice-cell group of any segment, is a variable in a tree-run, of in the fruit to be segmented.

0 fruit, and the problem is to obtain, at reduced expense, a commercially practicable number of the blade, is a thin blade 2| tapered from tip to substantially -whole integument-free juice-cell heel and in a plane 90 degrees plus from the groups fromeach fruit. plane of the blade 20. The angle between these We have found that if a whole peeled fruit be two blades is conveniently 90 plus A; the inas impaled on a fork, or holder l3 as shown in Fig. eluded angle of an average fruit segment. The 1, comprising a circumferential series of later-" free edge of the blade 2| is not sharp enough to ally spaced, small-diameter, and slightly flexible cut the radial integument of the fruit and the tines I4, with the tines entering and extending maximum width of blade 2| is such that the polarwise in the apices of most of the segment blade may be projected polarwise clear through At the tip of the blade, flanking one side of 40 v integuments, and the impaled fruit be rotated at a fruit segment between the two radial integu- 50.

a fair speed about its polar axis, the juice-cell merits of a segment without rupturing those groups will be torn from their radial integuments radial integuments. The blade 20, above blade and that, while many of the juice-cell groups will 2|, is longer than the polar dimension of the be broken into two or more pieces, nevertheless, fruit segments so that blade 2 I having been promany of the juice-cell groups will be discharged jected clear through a fruit segment, blade 20, if u narrow, may then be moved radially of the fruit to rupture the bond between one side of the juice-cell group and the adherent radial integument. I

when the tip of blade 2| is injected into a segment of a whole peeled fruit no especial care need be exercised to accurately position the tip of the blade 2| laterally relative to the two radial integuments. As the tool is projected into the fruit, the free edge of blade 2| engaging one radial integument will push blade toward the opposite integument so that, by the time the tip of blade 20 is ready to enter the fruit segment, blade 20 will be positioned adjacent and parallel with the opposite radial integument so that, as projection of the tool is continued, blade 20 will enter the fruit between the juice-cell group and the adjacent radial integument and rupture the natural bond therebetween. If the fruit be of the seedless variety, blade 2| may be quite narrow. If the fruit be of the seeded variety, the blade 2| should be somewhat wider at its heel because the tip of blade 2| should be inserted in the fruit radially beyond the seed region so that the seeds will be avoided as blade 2| proceeds through the fruit.

In Figs. 3' and 4, the tool comprises a main stem having a tapered head 26 the butt of which has a diameter slightly greater than stem 25. Connected to head 28 parallel with stem 25 and spaced slightly therefrom, is a trough-shaped guard 21 upon the upper end of which is pivoted a thin, narrow, flexible blade 28 mounted to swing in a plane tangential to stem 25, the blade normally lying parallel with stem 25 in the space between said stem and guard 21 with the tip of the blade just above and guarded by the butt of head 26.

The diameter of head 26, stem 25 and guard 21 are such that the tool may be projected polarwise into a peeled fruit between the two radial portions of a segment integument without rupturing the integument. The tool is long enough to permit tip 26 to be projected entirely through the peeled fruit so that when the blade. 28 is swung outwardly, it will rupture the natural bond between the juice-cell group and the adjacent radial integument. The stem and guard serve to automatically position the-blade closeto and substantially parallel with a radial integument and the blade being flexible, thin and narrow, we find that, as it is swung outwardly it takes the line of least resistance which is the plane of bond between the juice-cell group and the adjacent radial integument, thereby rupturing that bond rather than cutting through the juice cells.

A circumferential series of these tools, say from eight to eleven, may be arranged, as shown in Fig. 3, to simultaneously penetrate a peeled'iruit,

whereupon an actuating ring 29 may be caused I to engage the swinging blades, preferably in two or more groups, to swing the blades outwardly as described. The lateral flexibility of the tools permits the blades to adjust themselves medially in the apices of fruit segments and, by selectively swinging the blades, the rupturing forces may be so distributed circumferentially of the fruit as to avoid rupture of the radial integuments.

In using a group of these tools, we find it deone pivoted to swing on the other, the two being arranged to straddle a pair of adherent radial integuments so that upon swinging, either-to gether or in succession, they will rupture the bonds between adjacent juice-cell groups and the adherent radial integuments. Each blade 30 is provided, at its tip, with a laterally extending nub 30' which, upon projection into a fruit segment polarwise near its apex between its radial integuments, will serve to crowd blade 30 closely against one of the radial integuments. The other blade 3| is shorter than blade 20 and its tip 3| is bent laterally to facilitate entry .of a pairof adherent radial integuments therebetween.

A circumferential group of these tools, as shown in Fig. 5, brings the nub 30 of one tool in position to underlie the tip 3| of the blade 3| of the next adjacent tool so that, upon projection into a fruit, the blade 2| is protected against lateral displacement, as it proceeds into the fruit, so that it will lie closely against the adjacent radial integument. Blade 2| may be pivoted in the carrying head 32 and the pivoted connection between the two blades mayhave suflgcient frictional resistance to cause blade 3| to swing with blade 30 when it is swung, or the blades may be swung in succession, or'blade 30 only may be swung depending upon whether it is desired to rupture the bonds between both sides of a juicecell group and both radial integuments, or only one side and its integument. A flnger 30" carried by blade 30 and overlying blade 3| serves as a gauge for proper initial coordination of the blades.

In Fig. 7, we show a circumferential series of tools, each comprising a depending rod 40 and a longitudinally-tapered thin blade 4| having a. maximum radial extent exceeding the radial extent of the segments of fruit to be operated upon. Therods 40 are suspended from a head 42 so as to have some freedom of lateral displacement and are also capable of slight rocking about their vertical axes. Each blade is in a plane tangential to its rod and each blade is yieldingly biased toward a stop 43 on head 42 by a spring 44 attached at one end to the head and at the other to a finger 45 projecting radially from rod 40. When the lower tapered tip of a rod 40 enters a fruit segment, the tip of the rod serves to crowd the blade against the adjacent radial integument of the fruit and spring 44, permits the blade to adjust itself into parallelism, or substantial parallelism, with the radial integument. thus coinpensating for the natural variations in included angles of the fruit segments.

Tools of the character shown in Fig. 8 may likewise be arranged in a circumferential series so as to simultaneously act upon a plurality of segments of a peeled fruit, in the manner already described.

We have found that eflicient results may be obtained (1) by impaling a peeled fruit on the tines ll of a holder; (2) then forming voids polarwise in the apices of the segments without rupturing the radial integuments or the bond between adjacent integuments, as described in our above-mentioned copending application; (this step may be omitted though it contributes to efliciency), (3) then rupturing the bonds between a plurality of juice-cell groups and the radial integuments adherent to one side of each juice-cell group; (4) projecting a group of tines I'B. into the fruit, as previously described, and then rotating one series of tines relative to the other thereby finally separating the whole juicedreams cell'groups from the integuments which become wrappedaround the inner series of tines i4.

Instead of using the rubbing, tines I. the tines It may be revolved around their group axis at, suihcient speed to throw the juice-cell groups centrifugally from the integuments which remain. a

In Fig. 9 the fork i3 is mounted, as above described, to rotate about its axis, conveniently vertical, and is provided with a radially'pro-' jecting arm It; .The fruit, preferably with .one radial face of each or most of the juice-cell group separated from the' adherent radial integument. is placed upon the tines ll of the fork, asbefore described, and the projecting arm I! is then illustrated, upon peeled citrus fruits, the fruitsmay be supported by various means in such menher that the tools may penetrate the fruits lengthwise of the nature-formedsegments and swingable portions of the tools shown in Figs. 3 to 7 may be swung by hand or by suitable mechanism after fruit-penetration has been completed;

l The. details of such mechanism may vary widely and form no essential part of the present invention. v, j

A convenient fruit support-is a pronged structure like parts i3-l4 in "Fig. 1 or like the structure 52-53 shown in our Patent 2,121,098, con-' veniently used in conjunction with supports 43 shown in thatpatent, which supports are with- .drawn prior to the swinging of the blades as decitrus fruits, which comprises the step of re-. moving the peel, the step ofimpaling the fruit --upon a holder of such character as to prevent rupture of the' natural bond betweenthe radial integuments of adjacent juice-cell groups, and

. the step of rotating the fruit about its polar axis at a speed sufficient to eject the juice-cell groups centrifugally from the integuments.

. '2. The method of removing substantiallywhole integument-free juice-cell groups from citms fruits, which comprises the step of removing the peel, the step of impaling the fruit upon a holder ofsuch character as to prevent the rupture of the natural bond between the radial integuments of adjacent juice-cell groups, the step of rupturing the natural bond between one radial face and the adjacent radial integument of a plurality of juice-cell groups, and the step of rotating the fruit about its polar axis at a speed suflicient to eject the juice-cell groups centriiugally from the integuments.

3. The method of removing substantially the radial integuments of adjacent juice-cell groups, and the step of rotating the fruit about its polar axis ata speed sufficient to eject the juice-cell groups centrifugally from, the integuments.

4. The method of removing substantiallywhole integument-free juice-cell groups from citrus fruit, which comprises the step of removing the peel and'the major portion of the circumferential integuments, the step of impaling the fruit upon a holder of such character as to prevent the rupture of the natural bond between the radial integuments of adjacent juice-cell groups, the step of rupturing the natural bond between one radialface and the adjacent radial integument of a plurality of juice-cell groups,

and the step of rotating the fruit about its polar axis at a speed sumcient to eject the juice-cell groups centriiugally from the integuments.

- 5. The method' of removing Y substantiallywhole integument-free juice-cell groups from citrus fruit, which comprises the step of removing the peel, the step of impaling the fruit on a holder of such character as to prevent the rupture of the'natural bond between adjacent radiaF 20 integuments, the step-of projecting a rubbing ele-' ment into the fruit polarwise of the segments and radially outside the aforesaid holding means but in the region of the apices of the juice-cell segments, and the step-of causing relative rotation .between the holder'and the rubbing ele-' ment about an axis substantially coincident with the polar axis of the fruit whereby the radial integuments are subjected to tension radially of the integuments suflicien't to slip the integuments from the juice-cell groups.

.6;' The method of removing substantially-whole integument-free juice-cell groups from citrus fruit, which comprises the step of removing the' peel and the major portion of the circumferential integuments, the step of impaling the fruit on a holder of such character as to prevent the rupture of the natural bond between the radial integuments, the step of rupturing the natural bond between one radial face and the adjacent radial integuments of a plurality of juice-cell groups, the step of projecting a rubbing element into the fruit polarwisefoi the segments and radially outside the aforesaid holding means but in the region of the apices of the juice-cell segments, and the step of causing relative rotation between the holder and the rubbing element about an axis'substantially coincident with the polar axisof the fruit whereby the radial integuments are subjected to tension radially of the integuments suflicient to slip the integuments from the juice-cellgroups.

'7. That improvement in the art of segregation of integument-free segments from whole peeled fruits of the nature-formed-segment type. which comprises the step of skin removal, and the step of placing the radial integuments under tension, in the direction of their radial dimension, suincient to cause slipping rupture of the naturalbond between said integuments and the juicecell group nature-bonded theretolwhile concurrently opposing movement of the bonded juicecell group in the direction of said tension.

8. That improvement in the art of segregation of integument-free segments from whole peeled fruits of the nature-formed-segment type, which comprises the step of skin removal, the step of projecting a circumferential group of laterally spaced pins through the whole fruit polarwise therein and within the apices of the segment integuments, the step of projecting a second circumferential group of laterally spaced pins through the whole fruit polarwise therein and within the apices of the segment integuments.

said second series of pins enveloping and being 7 radial inte uments under tension suill V cient slip-rupture the natural bond between said radi ifl integuments and the Juice-cell groups.

9. The method of removing substantiallyhole internment-free tree-cell groups from citrus fruits, which comprises the step or removing the peel, the step of imoellnrthe fruit upon a holder such as to hold the integuments against radial displacement, and the step of causing 'rotation of the fruit about its polar axis by a suddenly applied force 'suflicient to cause the lnteguments to be torn from the juice-cell groups against the inertia of said juice-cell groups.

.10. The method of removing substantiallywhole integument-free juice-cell groups from citrus fruits, which comprises the step of removing the peel and the major portion of the circumferential integuments, the step of impallng the fruit upon a holder such as to hold the integuments against radial displacement, and the step of causing rotation of theiruit about its polar axis by a suddenly applied force sumcient to cause the integuments to be torn from the juice-cell groups against the inertia of said juicecell groups.

11. The method of removing substantiallywhole integument-free juice-cell groups from citrus fruits, which comprises the step of removing the peel, the step of breaking the bonds between one face of a plurality of juice-cell groups from the adherent radial integument, the step of impallng the fruit upon a holder such as to hold the integuments against radial displace-' ment, and 'the step of causing rotation of the fruit about its polar axis by a suddenly applied force suflicient to cause the integuments to be torn from the juice-cell groups against the inertia of said juice-cell groups.

12. The method of removing substantiallywhole integnment-iree juice-cell groups from citrus fruits, which comprises the step of removing the peel and the major portion of the circumferential integuments, the step of breaking the bonds between one face of a plurality oi the the

juice-cell groups from the adherent radial integument. the step of ln the fruit upon a holder such as to hold the inte ains guments radial displacement. and the step or causi isg ro tation of the fruit about its polar. denly applied force suificient to teguments to be torn from the juiceagainst the inertia 01' said juice-cell groups.

13. The method of removing substantially- Wlrole internment-free juice-cell groups from, Y citrus fruits, which comprises the step of removing the peel, the step of weakening the bond between one Iace of a plurality of Juice-cell groups from the adherent radial integument, the step of impaling the fruit upon a holder such as to hold the integuments against radial displaceaxis by a sua. cause themcell groups ment, and the step of causing rotation of the fruit about its polar axis at a speed sufilcient to cause the integuments to be torn from the Juicecell groups.

14. The method of removing substantiallywhole integument-free juice-cell groups from citrus fruits, which comprises the step of removing the peel and ,the major portion of the circumferential integuments, the step of weakening the bond between one face of a plurality of juicecell groups from the adherent radial integument, the step of impaling the fruit upon a holder such as to hold the integuments against radial displacement, and the step of causing rotation of the fruit about its polar axis at a speed sufiicient to cause the lnteguments to be torn from the juice-cell groups.

15. The method of removing substantiallywhole integument-free juice-cell groups from citrus fruits, which comprises the step of. removing the peel and the major portion of the circumferential integuments, the step of weakening plied force suihcient to cause the integuments to groups. RALPH POLK, SR. RALPH POLK, JR.

be torn from the juice-cell 

